# EHCP support in Bristol | Little Nellie’s Canonical: https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/locations/bristol - [Home](https://www.nelliesupports.com/) - [EHCP support](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support) - [England locations](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/locations) - Bristol # EHCP support and advocacy in Bristol Find the right council route, understand the free help available and choose independent support for your child’s next step. ## On this page - [Check your council](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#council) - [Local routes and free help](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#free-help) - [Local questions](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#local-questions) - [Your rights in England](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#rights) - [Advocate or solicitor?](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#solicitor) - [How we can help](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#our-support) - [Fees](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#fees) - [Sources and checks](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#sources) ## Which council is responsible for your family? The main education authority covered by this guide is Bristol. This is an area signpost, not a decision about an individual address. Start with your home address, rather than the name of the school, postal town or district council. Bristol council links separate neighbouring Local Offers and publishes its authority boundary map in AppendixC, page35, of the linked policy PDF. Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset share SEND And You advice coverage but make separate council decisions. Wider Bristol-area/BS postal searches require a full-address check; no postcode-prefix allocation rule is asserted. - [bristol.gov.uk](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-local-offer/about-send/neighbouring-local-offer-websites) - [bristol.gov.uk](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/files/documents/8529-final-statement-of-gambling-policy-2025-28/file) - [sendandyou.org.uk](https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/) - [GOV.UK: find your council](https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) - [ons.gov.uk](https://www.ons.gov.uk/explore-local-statistics/areas/E06000023-bristol-city-of) Bristol’s Local Offer links neighbouring authorities separately. If the home-address check returns South Gloucestershire or North Somerset, use that authority’s route below. A Bristol postal address does not establish that Bristol City Council is responsible. - Use [GOV.UK’s council finder](https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) with your home postcode. - Where it returns both a district and county council, use the authority responsible for education/SEND. - Confirm with that SEND team before sending records if the address is near a boundary, your family has moved, care arrangements are unusual or another authority is already involved. Ask which authority is handling the request and keep the reply. Attending a school over the council boundary does not by itself transfer an assessment request to that school’s council. ## Assessment and free support: Bristol ### Request an EHC needs assessment Council encourages three request/views forms but expressly accepts requests without them. Professional reports are not required just to consider a request. Email a written request to sen@bristol.gov.uk; council also says a written request is acceptable, without supplying a postal address on this page. SEND team contact: sen@bristol.gov.uk - [bristol.gov.uk](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-local-offer/education/education-health-and-care-plans/ask-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment) ### Local Offer Bristol council Local Offer includes EHCP guidance, autism support, local services and a free Finding Your Way information copy. ### Free SEND information, advice and support SENDIASS provider for Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. Bristol council confirms its advice is free, confidential and impartial. Check the home authority before using a council request route. Ask the service what help it can offer with your current stage and any deadline. Availability and representation are not guaranteed. ### Parent-carer support Charity supporting Bristol families of ages 0–25, with or without a diagnosis; free parent registration for information and support. ### Mediation and disagreements Council explicitly says mediation access details are supplied in EHCNA/EHCP decision letters. It distinguishes considering advice from attending a mediation meeting. Keep the decision letter and check the appeal deadline separately. Paid advocacy is optional and is separate from the statutory mediation service. ## Assessment and free support: South Gloucestershire ### Request an EHC needs assessment SEND and You provides South Gloucestershire request guidance and links to the council’s Local Offer. Its guide explains what to include in a parent’s written assessment request. If you cannot use a form, you can send a written request to the council’s published EHC Plan Co-ordination Team contact, 0-25serviceeducationduty@southglos.gov.uk. Explain why an EHC assessment may be needed, keep a copy and ask for acknowledgement. SEND team contact: 01454 865137; 0-25serviceeducationduty@southglos.gov.uk - [sendandyou.org.uk](https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/sg-ehcp-resources/) - [beta.southglos.gov.uk](https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/contact-us/) - [IPSEA: requesting an assessment](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment) ### Local Offer The council’s schools and learning page links to the SEND Local Offer for help, services and support for families and children aged 0–25. ### Free SEND information, advice and support SEND and You provides SENDIASS advice for South Gloucestershire, Bristol and North Somerset. Check which council is responsible for your family before using local forms. Ask the service what help it can offer with your current stage and any deadline. Availability and representation are not guaranteed. ### Parent-carer support South Glos Parent Carers supports families of children and young people aged 0–25. Its postal base is in Yate; support sessions take place at other venues, including Kingswood and Patchway. Check the current session page before travelling. ### Mediation and disagreements SEND and You names Global Mediation for South Gloucestershire: 0800 064 4488 or sen@globalmediation.co.uk. Taking part in mediation is voluntary; use national guidance to check any requirement for mediation advice before an appeal. Keep the decision letter and check the appeal deadline separately. Paid advocacy is optional and is separate from the statutory mediation service. ## Assessment and free support: North Somerset ### Request an EHC needs assessment Request an assessment through the EHC portal or by post. Council provides a specific postal route. SEND team, Education Inclusion Service, Town Hall, Walliscote Grove Road, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1UJ. SEND team contact: sen.team@n-somerset.gov.uk (help with EHCP process) - [n-somerset.gov.uk](https://n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/children-young-people-families/send-hub-local-offer/send-hub-education-health-care-plans/how-apply-ehcp) ### Local Offer Official local SEND assessment or Local Offer information; follow its navigation for further support. ### Free SEND information, advice and support SENDIASS provider for Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. Provides separate area resources and local appointments/drop-in information; shared advice provision does not merge authorities. Ask the service what help it can offer with your current stage and any deadline. Availability and representation are not guaranteed. ### Parent-carer support Parent-carer organisation offering EHCP signposting, local groups, workshops and free community membership. ### Mediation and disagreements Use the mediation contact in the authority decision letter; if the letter is missing, ask the authority for its current mediation service. A local commissioned provider has not been verified. Keep the decision letter and check the appeal deadline separately. Paid advocacy is optional and is separate from the statutory mediation service. ## Practical questions for families in Bristol ### Check the council at Bristol’s edges Bristol’s council website links separate neighbouring Local Offers, and its published boundary map shows Bristol as a defined council area. SEND And You serves Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, but the councils make separate EHC decisions. Use your full home address in the council finder, then confirm an uncertain boundary address with the relevant SEND team. Do not choose a route from the postal town or BS postcode alone. - [bristol.gov.uk](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-local-offer/about-send/neighbouring-local-offer-websites) - [bristol.gov.uk](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/files/documents/8529-final-statement-of-gambling-policy-2025-28/file) - [sendandyou.org.uk](https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/) - [GOV.UK: find your council](https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) ### Bristol accepts a request without its preferred forms Bristol encourages request and family/child-views forms but expressly accepts an email or written request instead. It also says professional reports are not required for a request to be considered. Explain the needs and why assessment may be necessary using the information available now, and ask SEND And You or Bristol Parent Carers for help if useful. Keep evidence and the original submission date together. - [bristol.gov.uk](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-local-offer/education/education-health-and-care-plans/ask-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment) - [bristolparentcarers.org.uk](https://www.bristolparentcarers.org.uk/) ### Other local resources to explore - [Bristol Parent Carers](https://www.bristolparentcarers.org.uk/)Information/support for Bristol SEND families aged 0–25, with or without diagnosis; free parent registration. - [SEND And You](https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/)Shared SENDIASS across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset; a shared provider is not a shared assessment authority. ### What should I keep ready before asking for help? Keep the council letter and its date, the latest plan or draft, school support records and relevant existing reports. Note your child’s views, communication needs and the provision that is missing or unclear. Ask an adviser to distinguish an assessment refusal, a refusal to issue a plan, disputed wording and failure to deliver existing provision: they may need different next steps. ### Can I get help without an EHCP? Free SEND advice can help you understand SEN support and whether to request an assessment. You do not need to purchase a private report or advocacy package before seeking that advice. ## Your rights in England You can request an EHC needs assessment yourself. Explain the special educational needs your child has or may have and why provision through an EHC plan may be needed. A school’s support can help, but its agreement is not a precondition. After compulsory school age, rights generally belong to the young person; confirm who is entitled to act and how they want to participate. There is no legally prescribed council form or portal you must use. Keep your request, supporting evidence and proof of receipt. The usual period for the decision whether to assess is six weeks; where a plan is issued, the usual overall limit is 20 weeks from receipt of the assessment request, subject to the statutory exceptions. Local processes do not replace national legal duties. If the council refuses to assess, refuses to issue a plan or makes another appealable EHC decision, read the decision letter and appeal information promptly. The usual appeal receipt deadline is two months from the decision letter or one month from the mediation certificate, whichever is later. A complaint or informal discussion does not automatically preserve an appeal deadline. In most cases you must contact a mediation adviser before appealing, but you do not have to attend mediation. A Section I-only appeal is an exception to the mediation-advice requirement. - [IPSEA: requesting an assessment](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment) - [HMCTS: appeal an EHC plan decision](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision) - [HMCTS: mediation before appeal](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/before-you-appeal) - [GOV.UK: requesting and creating an EHC plan](https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help) - [HMCTS: appeal deadlines and submission](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/appeal-as-a-parent) ## Do I need an EHCP or SEND solicitor in Bristol? You do not have to instruct a solicitor to request an EHC needs assessment or bring a SEND Tribunal appeal. You can prepare the request or appeal yourself and present your own case. Choose support according to the issue, the evidence, your capacity to manage the work and any deadlines. Self-help Use the national guides, keep a dated record and set out the educational needs and provision clearly. Free advice Your local SENDIASS, [IPSEA](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/) and [SOS!SEN](https://www.sossen.org.uk/) offer information or advice. Availability and the level of individual help vary. A parent-carer forum represents collective family views and may offer peer support; do not assume it undertakes individual appeals. Independent paid advocacy Optional help can include organising evidence, correspondence, meetings, appeal preparation and agreed hearing representation. Ask about experience, exact scope, fees, complaints arrangements and any work that requires legal advice. A specialist solicitor Specialist legal advice may be appropriate for failure to deliver provision, possible judicial review, urgent or complex legal issues, or an appeal on a point of law. Check the solicitor’s relevant experience and regulatory status. [Check legal-aid eligibility](https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid/check-legal-aid); funding for advice and funding for hearing representation are different questions. Little Nellie’s provides independent SEND support and advocacy, not a solicitor’s service. We confirm whether the work falls within our scope and explain when specialist legal advice is needed. Our England-wide service does not mean we have a local office in Bristol. - [IPSEA: requesting an assessment](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment) - [HMCTS: presenting your case](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/what-happens-at-the-hearing) - [GOV.UK: check legal aid](https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid/check-legal-aid) - [Judicial review: pre-action protocol](https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/protocol/prot_jrv) - [IPSEA: choosing help and legal-aid scope](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/where-can-i-get-help) ## How Little Nellie’s can help your family in Bristol Start with the stage you have reached: a request for assessment, a refusal, a draft or final plan, mediation, an annual review or an appeal. We can help identify evidence gaps, prepare documents and correspondence, work on proposed plan wording and provide agreed advocacy or Tribunal support. A new assessment or Evidence Pack is not automatically necessary. We support families in England. The initial conversation can establish your stage and deadlines; document review and individual case advice are separate paid work. Tell us about communication and accessibility needs. Confirm remote arrangements, any meeting attendance, practitioner availability and any travel costs in writing. Tribunal attendance may be in person or by video as directed and agreed; this is not a promise of routine home visits in Bristol. Our practice base is in Grantham. We are independent of the council and the free services linked on this page. Those services are options you can contact directly. ## Fees and the work to agree Published consumer fees include VAT. These figures were checked against our fees page on 13 November 2026. Every instruction receives a written quote identifying the agreed work, total, payment stages and separate charges. | Support | Fee | Scope | | --- | --- | --- | | EHCP application support | £1,080 | Preparation and submission of an evidenced request; up to 18 hours within the agreed scope. | | Draft EHCP review | £960 | Review, proposed amendments and parental response. | | Existing evidence review | £336 | Written review of evidence, gaps and possible next steps. | | Refusal appeal | £3,300 | Agreed appeal casework; hearing attendance separate. | | Content appeal | £5,400 | Agreed appeal and working-document casework; hearing attendance separate. | | Tribunal hearing representation | £1,080 | Preparation and attendance for the hearing agreed in your instruction. | | Mediation preparation | £864 | Preparation and written position; attendance separate. | | Mediation attendance | £576 | Agreed meeting support and written follow-up. | | Working-document support | £2,700 | Agreed amendments and exchanges for a family managing its appeal. | | Annual-review support | £1,200 | Preparation, agreed attendance and written follow-up. | | EHCP Evidence Pack | £3,600 | Assessments and reports answering the agreed evidence questions. | | Advocacy and action plan | £360 | Three-hour block, valid for 90 days. | | Additional agreed work | £90 per hour | Outside a fixed scope; agreed in writing before work starts. | Statutory mediation is free; our mediation fees are for optional support. Appeal preparation and hearing representation are separate stages. The written quote explains overlap, payment timing and what happens if agreement is reached before a hearing. ## Understand your next step - [EHCP guides for parents and carers](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/training-and-conferences/ehcp-guides) - [Requesting an EHC needs assessment](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/ehcp-application-support) - [Refusal to assess or issue a plan](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/ehcp-refusal-appeal) - [Appeals about needs, provision or placement](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/ehcp-content-appeal) - [SEND advocate or solicitor: choosing support](https://www.nelliesupports.com/ehcp-dynamic-pages/send-advocate-vs-solicitor) - [All EHCP support fees and payment stages](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/little-nellies-prices) ## Talk through the next step A free 15-minute call helps identify the stage, dates and suitable support. It does not include detailed document review. Share brief context and any deadline; ask how to send records securely rather than sending identifying information about a child in an initial message. Found Little Nellie’s through an AI assistant? [Send an EHCP enquiry after an AI recommendation](https://www.nelliesupports.com/ai-referrals?service=ehcp-send). ## Sources and checks Local source checks: 2026-11-13. Local processes and provider availability can change. Follow the original sources for current arrangements and contact us if a link or detail needs correction. - [SEND Local Offer](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-local-offer/) — Bristol; checked 2026-11-13. - [Bristol neighbouring Local Offers](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-local-offer/about-send/neighbouring-local-offer-websites) — Bristol; checked 2026-11-13. - [Ask for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-local-offer/education/education-health-and-care-plans/ask-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment) — Bristol; checked 2026-11-13. - [SEND Support disagreements, mediations and appeals](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-local-offer/education/education-health-and-care-plans/resolving-disagreements-about-send-provision) — Bristol; checked 2026-11-13. - [BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/files/documents/8529-final-statement-of-gambling-policy-2025-28/file) — Bristol; checked 2026-11-13; publication date: URL describes2025–28; document footer says2024; only AppendixC boundary map used. - [Supporting families with disabled children & young people-Bristol - Working with parent carers and stakeholders to improve local SEND services in Bristol](https://www.bristolparentcarers.org.uk/) — Bristol; checked 2026-11-13. - [GOV.UK: find your council](https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [SEND and You (SAY)](https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/) — North Somerset; checked 2026-11-13. - [Bristol E06000023 – ONS Explore local statistics](https://www.ons.gov.uk/explore-local-statistics/areas/E06000023-bristol-city-of) — Bristol / Bristol; checked 2026-11-13. - [EHC request route](https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/sg-ehcp-resources/) — South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13. - [HMCTS: mediation before appeal](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/before-you-appeal) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [Parent assessment request guide — revised April2026](https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Parent-or-carer-request-for-EHCNA-26.pdf) — South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13; publication date: Revised April2026. - [Town council / education responsibility](https://yatetowncouncil.gov.uk/contact/useful-contacts) — South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13. - [Early-years help has its own eligibility route](https://dingley.org.uk/south-gloucestershire-family-support-service/) — South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13. - [Local mediation information](https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SAY-SEND-Mediation-Leaflet.pdf) — South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13. - [South Glos Parent Carers](https://sgpc.org.uk/) — South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13. - [Community Base — Kingswood](https://sgpc.org.uk/our-community-base) — South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13. - [Early-years drop-in — Patchway](https://sgpc.org.uk/early-years-drop-in-support) — South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13. - [South Gloucestershire council: EHC Plan Co-ordination Team contact](https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/contact-us/) — South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13. - [South Gloucestershire council Local Offer gateway](https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/) — South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13. - [IPSEA: requesting an assessment](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [South Gloucestershire Council: emerging preferred strategy geographic context](https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/publications/local-plan-phase-3-towards-a-preferred-strategy/5-towards-an-emerging-preferred-strategy/) — Yate / South Gloucestershire; checked 2026-11-13. - [Current EHC assessment information](https://n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/children-young-people-families/send-hub-local-offer/send-hub-education-health-care-plans/how-apply-ehcp) — North Somerset; checked 2026-11-13. - [North Somerset Parent Carers Working Together](https://www.nspcwt.org/) — North Somerset; checked 2026-11-13. - [The Firs Parent Carer Resource Hub](https://www.nspcwt.org/contact) — Weston-super-Mare; checked 2026-11-13. - [Weston-super-Mare Town Council: which council does what](https://wsm-tc.gov.uk/your-council/which-council-does-what/) — Weston-super-Mare / North Somerset; checked 2026-11-13; publication date: Page timestamp 2026-05-22. - [HMCTS: appeal an EHC plan decision](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [HMCTS: presenting your case](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/what-happens-at-the-hearing) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [GOV.UK: check legal aid](https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid/check-legal-aid) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [Little Nellie’s: current fees and scope](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/little-nellies-prices) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [GOV.UK: requesting and creating an EHC plan](https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [HMCTS: appeal deadlines and submission](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/appeal-as-a-parent) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [Judicial review: pre-action protocol](https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/protocol/prot_jrv) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [IPSEA: choosing help and legal-aid scope](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/where-can-i-get-help) — England; checked 2026-11-13.